Hay-stacker



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. L. GOURTRIGHT.

HAY STAGKER No. 379,102. Patented Mar. 6, 1888.

.1 KM/K751155515. Lugmgt UNITED STATES PATENT 'rrrcn.

AROHIBALD L. OOURTRIGHT, OF MOUNT HAMILL, IOWA.

HAY-STACKER.

SPECIPICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,102. dated March 6, 1888.

Application filed June 18. 1887.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AROHIBALD L. GoUR'r- RIGHT, of Mount Hamill, in the county of Lee and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Hay-Stackers and WVagon-Loaders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of:

this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in hay or straw stackers; and itconsists in, first, 1

the combination of the two racks loosely con nected together at tlieirinner ends,the two vertical ways or tracks which guide the racks in their vertical movements, adjustable tracks upon which one of the racks moves in dumping 1 its load,elevating ropes and pulleys over which the ropes move, and, second, the combination of two racks, ways for each rack, adjustable tracks, and adjusting-supports therefor, all of which will he more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine for stacking hay or straw, which is composed of two racks hinged together, and which have a movement independent of each other,whereby when apullis exerted upon the elevating-ropes the front rack is moved upward at its outer end, so as to prevent any of the hay or straw falling therefrom, and to provide an adjustable track upon which the rear rack travels, so as to enable the load to be dumped.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of astacker embodying my invention, the elevator being shown raised in dotted lines. Fig. 2is aplan view. Fig. 3 is a front elevation.

The frame work consists of the threegroundsills A A A, to which is secured near their center the cross-beam B. Secured to opposite sides of the cross-beam B are the verticaltimhers 0, between the upper ends of which are secured the timbers D, connected together at their upper ends by the cross-beam E.

F are vertical timbers secured to the two outer groundsills, A, near their rear ends, and connected at their upper ends to the vertical timbers O by the braces G.

Secured to the two outer sills, A, between Serial nm anrreo. (No model.)

; the timbers O F, are the timbers, tracks, or ways H, to the upper ends of which are pivoted the hinged tracks I. The outer ends of these hinged tracks I are provided with the bands J,which slide up and down upon the timbers F, and are held in any desired position by any suitable means. Byadjusting the bands vertically on the timbers F the tracks are correspondingly raised or lowered at their outer ends, and hence the elevation at which the load is to be dumped can be changed at will. The upperedgesofthe bands and tracks always form a straight line with each other, as shown, and itis over these two parts which i the rollers Z of the rack P mustmove to a greater or less distance before the load can be dumped. As shown, the bands are so held that their upper edges catch against the outer sides of the uprights F, and are made to bite into the uprights by the weight which is brought to bear upon the tracks. Frictional contact is amply sufficient to hold these bands J in any position into which they may be adjusted; but any suitable means may be used l for holding them in position.

K K are braces for preventing any lateral tional strength.

Fastened to one of the ground-sills A are the two pulleys L, and to the opposite groundsill is secured the pulley M, around which passes the elevating ropes N.

0 represents the front rack, and P the rear one,which are composed of the teeth Q. The front rack, O, is provided with the cross-ties R S, to which the teeth Q, are secured. Secured to the cross-tie S near its outer ends are the timbers T, having pulleys U U journaled in their outer ends, and connected to the crossbeam R by means of the braces V. The two racks P O are hinged together by means of the eyes W and rod X, as here shown, or in any other suitable manner. The cross-ties S Y are provided at their outer ends with the flanged rollers Z for the purpose of reducing friction as the elevators are raised and lowered.

One end of the elevating-rope N passes around one of the pulleys L, then upward over the pulley A,down around the pulley U, which is journaled in the front end of the timber T, then upward, and is secured to the cross-tie E.

movement of the frame and to give it addi-- The other end of the rope N passes across the frame-work just in the rear of the cross-beam 13, around the pulley M,'up over the pulley B, down around the pulley U, and has its end secured to the crosstie E.

The operation of myinvention is as follows: The hay or straw is either dumped directly from a wagon upon the rack O or raked there on in any suitable manner. A pullis then exerted upon the elevating-rope N, which elevates the outer end of the rack O upward until the two racks stand at an angle to each other and form an elevating-frame, in which the hay is securely held. \Vhen in this position. the hay slides downward between the two racks, and its pressure upon the two is equal. A continued pull upon the elevating-ropes causes the two racks to travel upward until the rollers Z upon the outer ends of the cross-tie Y reach the top of the timbers H, when they move outward upon the elevatiugtrack I. In this position the rack O continues to move up ward, drawing with it the inner end of the rack P, and consequently throwing the outer end of the rack P downward, which forms a continuous incline from the outer end of the rack O to the outer end of the rack P, thus causing the material placed between the two racks to slide from the rack P upon the stack which is being formed. The tracks I, having their outer ends adapted to be moved up and down, it will be readily understood that the rack P can be made to dump its load at any desired height. If desired, the braces or timbers H, to which the adjustable track I is pivoted, may be made in two parts in order to allow a greater adjustability of the tracks I.

The elevator herein described is also well adapted for loading wagons as well as for stacking hay or straw.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination of the two racks loosely connected together at their inner ends, the two ways or tracks 0 H, tracks I, the elevatingropes, and suitable guiding-pulleys, the ways H being shorter than the ways 0, so that the rear rack will drop and dump the load, substantially as described.

2. The combination of two racksloosely connected together at their inner ends, ways or tracks for each rack, adjustable tracks I, connected to the rear ways, and adjustingsupports therefor, and the elevating-ropes and guiding-pulleys, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination ofthe two ways orguides G H, the rack 0, provided with the timbers 'l and pulleys U U, the friction-rollers Z, the rack P, loosely connected to the rack O, the adjustable tracks I, loops J, and elevatingropes and guiding-pulleys, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

A. L. COURTRIGHT.

Witnesses:

W. D. GAMNING, CORTES MAXWELL. 

